Unit information: Foundations of Finance and Economics in 2022/23

Unit name	Foundations of Finance and Economics
Unit code	LANG00040
Credit points	20
Level of study	QCA-3
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24)
Unit director	Mr. Sarda
Open unit status	Not open
Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units)	IELTS: minimum 6.0 overall; minimum 5.5 in Writing component, minimum 5.0 in Speaking, Listening and Reading components, or equivalent.
Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units)	None
Units you may not take alongside this one	Not applicable
School/department	Centre for Academic Language and Development
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Unit Information

This is a 20-credit unit within the International Foundation Programme which aims to provide students with an introduction to finance and economics. The first teaching block will focus on the core concepts of finance and economics while the second teaching block will provide students with an opportunity to explore either finance or economics in more depth.

By the end of teaching block 1, topics covered may include:

• Types of objectives set by firms
• Time value of money and decisions
• Valuation of assets
• Types of market competition
• Supply and demand

For students pursing finance in teaching block 2, topics covered may include:

• Revenues, costs and profits
• The purpose of accounts
• Financial reporting
• Sources of finance

For students pursing economics in teaching block 2, topics covered may include:

• Price discrimination
• Government intervention
• International trade and the global economy
• Economic growth

Your learning on this unit

By the end of the unit, students will be able to:

1. demonstrate an understanding of key financial and economic concepts and issues
2. demonstrate an understanding of concepts and issues related to either macroeconomics or a range of financial topics
3. synthesize appropriate tools and concepts from finance and economics and apply them to current international events

How you will learn

Students will attend 3 hours of study per week. Learning is facilitated in sessions involving a combination of teacher-led input, combined with practical, workshop-style exercises. On-line delivery of materials through Blackboard VLE.

How you will be assessed

Formative assessment:

• Regular worksheets and case studies with feedback provided during weekly seminars
• Essay (1,000 words) with formative feedback

Summative assessment:

• Essay (1,500 words) (40%) ILOs 1, 2
• Written Exam (60%) ILOs 2, 3 (Case studies with SAQs)

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. LANG00040).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.